Low waste syringe and needle assemblage

ABSTRACT

A low-waste needle and syringe assembly for injecting a fluid into a patient is provided. The syringe has hatch marks printed on the outer wall of the body to indicate the amount of fluid and/or the concentration of the fluid contained in a fluid chamber of the syringe. A syringe tip defining a substantially frusto-conical interior void extends from an end wall of the syringe. A needle hub holds a needle and is configured so that the hub can be selectively and securedly attached to the syringe. A frusto-conical member of the needle hub matingly engages the frusto-conical void of the syringe tip when the hub is secured to the syringe, forming a fluid-tight seal. A plunger positioned in the fluid chamber can be depressed by a user, and a piston cap attached to the plunger urges fluid in the chamber out of the chamber through the syringe tip and into the needle. The piston cap matingly engages the end wall of the syringe so that substantially all fluid is urged from the chamber to the needle.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATION

This application is a continuation-in-part of PCT/US2014/021937, filedMar. 7, 2014, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No.61/744,297, filed Mar. 7, 2013, and is a continuation-in-part ofPCT/US2015/038448, filed Jun. 30, 2015, which claims priority to U.S.Provisional Application No. 62/063,763, filed Oct. 14, 2014, and U.S.Provisional Application No. 62/019,072, filed Jun. 30, 2014. Thecontents of each of the above-referenced patent applications and patentsare hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The field of this invention relates generally to needles and syringesfor injecting a selected fluid into a patient, and more particularly toa low-waste syringe with at least one interchangeable needle. With moreparticularity, to a low-waste syringe with at least one interchangeableneedle for injection of a desired neurotoxin therein a patient.

BACKGROUND

Neurotoxins such as Allergan's Botox® (Onabotulinumtoxin Type A),Medicis' Dysport® (Abobotulinumtoxin Type A) and Merz's Xeomin®(Incobotulinumtoxin Type A) have entered the medical aestheticmarketplace over the last 10-15 years and are currently used worldwideculminating in a global multi-billion dollar industry.

Neurotoxins are currently used for both medical and aesthetic purposes.The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Botox® forglabellar wrinkle reduction, Dysport® for cervical dystonia andglabellar creases and Xeomin® for cervical dystonia, blepharospasm andglabellar frown lines. Although these three drugs have FDA approval inthe United States for “on label” use of their neurotoxin type A for thetreatment of glabellar crease lines only, all three are used by mostphysician and nurse injectors “off label” for dynamic wrinkle reductionthroughout the head and neck region.

The predominant company in the global aesthetic marketplace is Allerganwhich manufactures and distributes Botox® and Botox® Cosmetic globally(referred to hereinafter together as Botox®). Botox® is dispensed in 50unit and 100 unit freeze dried vials and has to be reconstituted by thephysician and/or nurse injectors (the “user”) with preservative free,sterile injectable saline or the less painful, neutral pH bacteriostaticsaline just before use. As one skilled in the art will appreciate,conventional neurotoxin vials are both multi and single dose and have anelastomeric top that can be pierced sterilely with a needle. Dysport® isdispensed in 300 unit vials and Xeomin® is dispensed in 100 unit vialssimilar to Botox®.

According to the FDA approval for Botox® and the package insert, the 100unit vial should be reconstituted with 2.5 ml of 0.9% sterile,unpreserved saline. Most users, however, use bacteriostatic saline forthe diminished discomfort and longer shelf-life it offers. Since its FDAapproval, the clinical use of Botox® and the amount of diluent used forreconstitution has greatly evolved with most users and there iscurrently no standard dilution. The trend, however, has been towardlesser diluent volumes and more concentrated neurotoxin solutions. Forexample, the most common diluent volumes used today are 1 ml per vial(10 units/0.1 ml), 2 ml per vial (5 units/0.1 ml), 2.5 ml per vial(on-label for Botox® at 4 units/0.1 ml) and 4 ml per vial (2.5 units/0.1ml). The reason for this trend is better placement control, betterpotential site efficacy at higher concentrations, less fluid volumeinjected with less pain and swelling and less chance of neurotoxindiffusion from the site of injection causing an adverse effect such asptosis (drooping) of the upper eyelid or ptosis of the brow and eyebrow.There is no standard neurotoxin dilution for Botox® (other than the FDAapproved 2.5 ml) and no standard delivery system based upon thepractitioner's chosen amount of diluent and concentration of neurotoxin.

The average patient receiving Botox® for the treatment of dynamicglabellar frown lines will receive approximately 25 units of neurotoxindistributed over approximately 7 injections. Additional areas to beinjected will require more neurotoxin and more injections. Eachinjection delivers approximately 1-4 units per injection depending uponthe site and injector. If the neurotoxin is diluted with 1 ml of diluentthis will produce a concentration of 10 units/0.1 ml or 1 unit/0.01 ml.In the above example in which a patient receives 25 units, a totalvolume of 0.25 ml will be injected into the patient. A conventional 1 mlsyringe can be too large to accurately dispense these small volumes andthe gradations on the syringe can be too difficult to read therefore notallowing for accurate dispensing of the neurotoxin. Additionally, 1 mlsyringes are graduated in 1 ml increments and not units.

Additionally, most 1 ml neurotoxin syringes are not low-waste syringes,and a significant amount of neurotoxin can be wasted with each use of amulti-use vial. With each use of a syringe, costly neurotoxin will belost in dead spaces of the syringe tip, the hub of the needle and/or theneedle lumen. For a 1 ml syringe this has been measured to be at leastapproximately 0.08 ml and the waste is worsened if the needle isexchanged during the series of injections.

Also, conventional neurotoxin syringes are not graduated in unit dosingwhich is how users are trained to inject neurotoxin. Further, ifconventional neurotoxin syringes do not have Luer lock connections, theneedle can come dislodged from the syringe during an injection and cancause an injury to the patient and waste the costly neurotoxin.

Therefore, many practitioners have circumvented these problems by usinginsulin syringes that are either 30 unit or 50 unit syringes that canaccommodate the 10 unit/0.1 ml concentration to get a true 1:1 injectionratio. Insulin syringes can only be used for unit dosing at the 1 mldilution of neurotoxin because the resulting concentration is the sameas subcutaneous insulin at 1 unit/0.01 ml. In all other concentrationsof neurotoxin that are injected with insulin syringes, each gradation nolonger represents 1 unit of neurotoxin.

Most of the insulin syringes are low-waste and have permanent,non-removable needles. Insulin syringes are designed forsingle-injection only in the subcutaneous tissue plane and are notengineered for the multiple percutaneous punctures required ofneurotoxin injections. Insulin needles are not sufficiently engineeredto withstand multiple percutaneous punctures. Insulin syringes are smalland it is very difficult to read the gradations and they are awkward forlarger hands. The needles dull quickly and cannot be changed for asharper needle. The length of the needle is designed for subcutaneousinjection and not intramuscular injection (indicated for neurotoxin) andit is too short for many patients thus producing a poor result. Multiplesyringes would be necessary if greater than 30 or 50 units were to beinjected losing time exchanging syringes and the cost of additionalsyringes.

Another problem with insulin syringes with permanent needles is that ifthe neurotoxin is aspirated from the vial through the elastomeric top,the needle will be dulled even further for multiple injections. Manypractitioners remove the metal seal and elastomeric stopper of the vialand insert the entire clean, but not sterile, syringe into the vial toaspirate the desired amount of neurotoxin and then replace theelastomeric stopper. This procedure contaminates the vial each time itis done (which is typically three times or more per vial). This is notstandard protocol for a sterile, multi-use vial and greatly increasesthe risk of injection site infection and bacterial contamination of theneurotoxin left in the vial. Another problem with insulin syringes withpermanent needles is that if the needle gets dull and painful during theseries of injections there is no way to exchange the needle for asharper one or easily transfer the neurotoxin to another syringe so thecostly neurotoxin is not wasted. Unfortunately, the injections oftencontinue at the expense and discomfort of the patient until the syringeis empty.

Non-low-waste syringes in this volume range include 1 ml syringes andsome insulin syringes. The measured waste in the conventionalnon-low-waste syringe includes approximately 0.04 ml in the tip andapproximately 0.04 ml in the needle hub. Thus, at the end of a series ofinjections approximately 0.08 ml of fluid is left in the syringe tip andneedle hub. This translates into a significant loss of neurotoxin andcost to the practitioner depending upon the amount of diluent used andthe resultant concentration of the neurotoxin injected. In someestimates, the lost or wasted neurotoxin can be in the tens of thousandsof dollar per user per year. Further, although 1 ml low-waste syringesare available, they are not gradated for unit injection, which is howmost users are trained to inject. Additionally, conventional low-waste 1ml syringes only prevent neurotoxin waste in the syringe tip, not theneedle hub, and thus, costly neurotoxin is still wasted.

In view of the preceding, there is a need in the art for a low-wasteneurotoxin syringe and needle that can indicate unit dosage at aplurality of neurotoxin concentration levels.

SUMMARY

Described herein is a needle and syringe assembly for injecting a fluidinto a patient and more particularly to a low-waste syringe with atleast one interchangeable needle.

In one aspect, the syringe can comprise a hollow body having an innerdiameter and an end wall closing a forward end of the body. In anotheraspect, a rear end of the body can be open and a piston means inreciprocal sealing engagement with an inner wall of the body can definea fluid chamber in the body. The fluid chamber can be configured forselectively containing a medication, such as for example and withoutlimitation, a neurotoxin, within the fluid chamber.

At least a portion of the syringe can be formed from a clear polymericmaterial, according to one aspect. In another aspect, an outer wall ofthe body can be marked and/or labeled to indicate the type of fluidcontained in the chamber. For example, if the fluid is a neurotoxin, theouter wall of the body can be marked and/or labeled to indicate the typeof neurotoxin and/or the amount of diluent used in reconstituting theneurotoxin. In one aspect, hatch marks can be marked and/or labeled onthe outer wall of the body to indicate the amount of fluid and/or theconcentration of the fluid contained in the chamber. For example, thehatch marks can be color coded such that different colored hatch markcan indicate dosage amounts based on different concentrations. The clearbody allows the user to compare the fluid level in the chamber to thehatch mark on the body.

In one aspect, a syringe tip can be mounted and/or formed on the endwall of the syringe to define an interior void. An aperture in the endwall of the body can place the interior void of the syringe tip insealed fluid communication with the fluid chamber of the body. Inanother aspect, the syringe tip can be configured to matingly engage andsecure a needle assembly to the syringe. In a further aspect, thesyringe tip can form at least a portion of an inverted cone. In thisaspect, at least a portion of the syringe tip can be substantiallyfrusto-conical in shape defining a frusto-conical interior void.

The piston means can comprise a plunger and a piston cap. In one aspect,the plunger can be formed from a substantially cylindrical shaft and thepiston cap can be securedly attached to an end of the shaft. In anotheraspect, the piston cap can be formed from an elastomer wherein at leasta portion of the piston cap has an outer diameter substantially equal tothe inner diameter of the body of the syringe. However, in a furtheraspect, at least a portion of the piston cap can have an outer diameterslightly greater than the inner diameter of the body of the syringe. Inyet another aspect, a distal end of the piston cap can be configured tocomplementary engage the end wall of the body of the syringe. That is,the distal end of the piston cap can be sized and shaped so that when inuse, the distal end of the piston cap contacts the end wall. In thisaspect, when in use and the piston cap contacts the end wall of thebody, there are substantially no gaps or “dead spaces” formed betweenthe end wall and the distal end of the piston cap. This allowssubstantially allow of the fluid contained in the fluid chamber to beejected from the chamber through the syringe tip.

In one aspect, the at least one needle assembly can comprise an elongateneedle and a polymeric needle hub configured to support the needle andcouple the needle to the syringe so that an interior lumen of the needleis in fluid communication with the fluid chamber of the syringe. Inanother aspect, the needle can be a conventional needle, such as a 25Gneedle, a 32G needle and the like. The needle hub can comprise asubstantially cylindrical hollow needle base having internal threadsconfigured to matingly engage with flanges on the syringe as in aconventional Luer-lock engagement. In one aspect, a frusto-conicalmember can be formed and/or positioned in the substantially cylindricalhollow needle base of the needle hub. In this aspect, the frusto-conicalmember can be configured to matingly engage the frusto-conical voiddefined in the syringe tip. When the threads of the needle hub engagethe syringe, the frusto-conical member of the needle hub can create afluid-tight seal with the frusto-conical void of the tip of the syringe,so that when in use, there are substantially no gaps or “dead spaces”formed between the needle hub and the syringe.

Additional advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in thedescription which follows, and in part will be obvious from thedescription, or may be learned by practice of the invention. Theadvantages of the invention will be realized and attained by means ofthe elements and combinations particularly pointed out in the appendedclaims. It is to be understood that both the foregoing generaldescription and the following detailed description are exemplary andexplanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention, as claimed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

These and other features of the preferred embodiments of the inventionwill become more apparent in the detailed description in which referenceis made to the appended drawings wherein:

FIGS. 1A and 1B are elevational views of embodiments of a needleassembly and syringe for injecting a fluid contained in the syringe intoa patient.

FIG. 2 is an elevational view of the syringe of FIG. 1, according to oneaspect.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the syringe of FIG. 2, taken alongline 3-3.

FIG. 4 is an elevational view of a portion of the syringe of FIG. 2,according to one aspect.

FIG. 5 is an elevational view of the needle assembly of FIG. 1 coupledto the syringe, according to one aspect.

FIG. 6 is an elevational view of the needle assembly coupled to thesyringe, according to an alternative aspect.

FIG. 7 is an elevational view of a plunger of the syringe of FIG. 1,according to one aspect.

FIG. 8 is an elevational view of a plunger of the syringe of FIG. 1, inwhich the broken lines indicate a head of the plunger, according to oneaspect.

FIG. 9 is an elevational view of a protective cover of the syringe ofFIG. 1, according to one aspect.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the needle assembly of FIG. 1,according to one aspect.

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of the needle assembly of FIG. 10,according to one aspect.

FIG. 12 is a top plan view of needle assembly of FIG. 10, according toone aspect.

FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of the needle assembly of FIG. 10,showing a needle guard positioned over the needle, according to oneaspect.

FIG. 14 is an exploded cross-sectional view of the needle assembly ofFIG. 0, showing a needle guard positioned over the needle and a baseguard aligned to overlap at least a portion of the a needle base,according to one aspect.

FIG. 15 is an elevational view of the needle guard and the base guard ofFIG. 14, showing the guards is a closed position, according to oneaspect.

FIG. 16 is a side elevational transparent view of a syringe, showing asyringe tip configuration in which the external surface of the syringetip is substantially cylindrical in shape with a conventional threadformed thereon for conventional coupling to a needle assembly, accordingto one aspect.

FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional view of a syringe, showing a syringe tipconfiguration in which the external surface of the syringe tip issubstantially cylindrical in shape with a conventional thread formedthereon for conventional coupling to a needle assembly, according to oneaspect.

FIG. 18 is a cross-sectional view of the syringe of FIG. 17, showing aneedle assembly conventionally coupled to the conventional thread formedthereon the external surface of the syringe tip and a plunger disposedtherein the syringe, according to one aspect.

FIG. 19 is a cross-section view of a needle assembly conventionallycoupled to the conventional thread formed thereon the external surfaceof the syringe tip and a plunger disposed therein the syringe, accordingto one aspect and showing a central bore of a frusto-conical member of aneedle hub 80 having a frusto-conical shape that expands outwardly,relative to a longitudinal axis of the needle hub, from proximate aproximal end of the needle hub to a distal end of the needle hub. ASshown, the central bore can define at least two progressively increasingtapering frusto-conical shapes, relative to the longitudinal axis of theneedle hub, which is typically aligned with the mounted needle.

FIG. 20 is an elevational view of one aspect of a needle assemblyconventionally coupled to the conventional thread formed thereon theexternal surface of the syringe tip and a plunger disposed therein thesyringe of FIG. 19, according to one aspect.

FIG. 21 is a cross-sectional view of the needle assembly needle assemblyconventionally coupled to the conventional thread formed thereon theexternal surface of the syringe tip and a plunger disposed therein ofFIG. 20, according to one aspect.

FIG. 22 is a perspective cross-sectional view of the needle assembly ofFIG. 19.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention can be understood more readily by reference to thefollowing detailed description, examples, drawing, and claims, and theirprevious and following description. However, before the present devices,systems, and/or methods are disclosed and described, it is to beunderstood that this invention is not limited to the specific devices,systems, and/or methods disclosed unless otherwise specified, as suchcan, of course, vary. It is also to be understood that the terminologyused herein is for the purpose of describing particular aspects only andis not intended to be limiting.

The following description of the invention is provided as an enablingteaching of the invention in its best, currently known embodiment. Tothis end, those skilled in the relevant art will recognize andappreciate that many changes can be made to the various aspects of theinvention described herein, while still obtaining the beneficial resultsof the present invention. It will also be apparent that some of thedesired benefits of the present invention can be obtained by selectingsome of the features of the present invention without utilizing otherfeatures. Accordingly, those who work in the art will recognize thatmany modifications and adaptations to the present invention are possibleand can even be desirable in certain circumstances and are a part of thepresent invention. Thus, the following description is provided asillustrative of the principles of the present invention and not inlimitation thereof. As used throughout, the singular forms “a,” “an” and“the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictatesotherwise. Thus, for example, reference to “a needle” can include two ormore such needles unless the context indicates otherwise.

Ranges can be expressed herein as from “about” one particular value,and/or to “about” another particular value. When such a range isexpressed, another aspect includes from the one particular value and/orto the other particular value. Similarly, when values are expressed asapproximations, by use of the antecedent “about,” it will be understoodthat the particular value forms another aspect. It will be furtherunderstood that the endpoints of each of the ranges are significant bothin relation to the other endpoint, and independently of the otherendpoint.

As used herein, the terms “optional” or “optionally” mean that thesubsequently described event or circumstance may or may not occur, andthat the description includes instances where said event or circumstanceoccurs and instances where it does not.

As used herein, the term “fluid” can refer to any medication such as aneurotoxin, insulin, tuberculin and the like. Additionally, the term“fluid” can refer to a solution containing a diluent and any medicationsuch as a neurotoxin, insulin, tuberculin and the like.

A needle and syringe assemblage 10 for injecting a fluid into a patientis provided, according to various aspects and as illustrated in FIGS. 1Aand 1B. In one aspect, the needle and syringe assemblage comprises asyringe 12 and at least one needle assembly 14. In another aspect, theneedle and syringe assemblage 10 comprises a low-waste syringe and atleast one interchangeable needle. In a further aspect, the syringe 12can be a low-waste, single-use syringe with at least one interchangeableneedle assembly 14.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3, in one aspect, the syringe 12 cancomprise a hollow body 16 having an inner diameter 18 and an end wall 20that can close the body at a forward end 22 of the body. In anotheraspect, a rear end 24 of the body 16 can be open and a piston means 26in reciprocal sealing engagement with an inner wall 28 of the body candefine a chamber 30 in the body. The chamber can be configured forselectively containing a fluid, such as for example and withoutlimitation, medication, within the chamber 30. The syringe 12 canfurther comprise at least one finger flange 32 formed or positionedadjacent the open rear end of the body 16, according to another aspect.

In one aspect, the body 16 of the syringe 12 can have a length of lessthan about 7 cm, about 7.0 cm, about 7.15 cm, about 7.25 cm, about 7.4cm, about 7.5 cm, about 7.65 cm, about 7.75 cm, about 7.85 cm, about 8.0cm, about 8.15 cm, about 8.25 cm, about 8.4 cm, about 8.5 cm, about 8.65cm, about 8.75 cm, about 8.85 cm, about 9.0 cm, about 9.15 cm, about9.25 cm, about 9.4 cm, about 9.5 cm, about 9.65 cm, about 9.75 cm, about9.85 cm, about 10.0 cm, or greater than about 10.0 cm.

In another aspect, an outer diameter 34 of the body 16 can be less thanabout 0.25 cm, about 0.25 cm, about 0.3 cm, about 0.35 cm, about 0.4 cm,about 0.45 cm, about 0.5 cm, about 0.55 cm, about 0.6 cm, about 0.65 cm,about 0.7 cm, about 0.75 cm, about 0.8 cm, about 0.85 cm, about 0.9 cm,about 0.95 cm, about 1.0 cm, about 1.05 cm, about 1.1 cm, about 1.15 cm,about 1.2 cm, about 1.25 cm, about 1.3 cm, about 1.35 cm, about 1.4 cm,about 1.45 cm, about 1.5 cm, about 1.55 cm, about 1.6 cm, about 1.65 cm,about 1.7 cm, about 1.75 cm, about 1.8 cm, about 1.85 cm, about 1.9 cm,about 1.95 cm, about 2.0 cm or greater than about 2 cm. In this aspect,it is contemplated that the outer diameter of the body 16 can be asubstantially constant diameter, and the inner diameter 18 of the bodycan be varied to change the volume capacity of the chamber 30 of thebody 16. For example, the inner diameter can be a predetermined diameterso that the volume capacity of the body is a predetermined level. Thus,two syringes having the same body size can contain a different amount offluid based on the volume capacity of the chamber.

In one aspect, at least a portion of the syringe 12 can be formed from aclear polymeric material. In another aspect, the body 16 of the syringecan be molded from a hard, clear plastic. An exterior surface or outerwall 36 of the body can be printed, marked and/or labeled to indicatethe type of fluid contained in the chamber. For example, if the fluid isa neurotoxin, the outer wall of the body 16 can be marked and/or labeledto indicate the type of neurotoxin and/or the amount of diluent used inreconstituting the neurotoxin. In a further aspect, hatch marks 38 canbe printed, marked and/or labeled on the outer wall 36 of the body toindicate the amount of fluid contained in the chamber 30. In yet anotheraspect, the hatch marks can be positioned or printed on either side of acenterline of the body 16 so that both left handed and right handedusers of the syringe can easily see the hatch marks 38. In this aspect,the hatch marks can be color coded such that different colored hatchmark 38 can indicate different fluid concentrations.

In one aspect, the hatch marks 38 on the exterior surface or outer wall36 of the syringe 12 can indicate a concentration marking scale. Thatis, hatch marks can be printed or marked on the syringe to refer to aconcentration of fluid contained in the chamber 30 of the syringe. Forexample, each hatch mark can refer to a volume of medication per volumeof diluent. In another aspect, the hatch marks 38 on the outer wall ofthe syringe can be indicative of the relative units of medication pervolume of diluent. In an example and with reference to FIG. 2, the “10u”, “20 u” . . . markings can indicate the units of neurotoxin pervolume of diluent. This allows the user of the syringe to easily “unitdose” the patient as users have conventionally been trained. As can beappreciated, different syringes can be provided to a user based on theuser's desired medication concentration level.

For example, if 100 units of neurotoxin were diluted with 1 ml ofdiluent, the solution would have a concentration of 10 units per 0.1 mlor 1 unit per 0.01 ml. The syringe 12 could have a chamber 30 sized tohold 60 units and a total volume of 0.6 ml. The hatch marks 38 on thebody 16 of the syringe 12 could be unit marked at 1 or 2 unit incrementsand each unit increment could correspond to 0.01 ml of the solution. Inanother example, if 100 units of neurotoxin were diluted with 2 ml ofdiluent, this would create a solution having a concentration of 5 unitsper 0.1 ml or 1 unit per 0.02 ml. In this example, the syringe couldhave a chamber sized to hold 60 units and a total volume of 1.2 ml. Thatis, the inner diameter 18 of the body could be sized so that the chamber30 could contain 1.2 ml of medication. In this aspect, the hatch markson the body 16 of the syringe 12 could be unit marked at 1 or 2 unitincrements and each unit increment could correspond to 0.02 ml of thesolution. In another example, if 100 units of neurotoxin were dilutedwith 2.5 ml of diluent (such as, for example, on label for Botox®) thiswould create a concentration of 4 units per 0.1 ml or 1 unit per 0.025ml. In this example, the chamber 30 of the body could hold 50 units anda total volume of 1.25 ml. The hatch marks 38 on the syringe 12 could beunit marked at 1 or 2 unit increments and each unit increment couldcorrespond to 0.025 ml. In still another example, if 100 units ofneurotoxin were diluted with 4 ml of diluent, this solution createdwould have a concentration of 2.5 units per 0.1 ml or 1 unit per 0.04ml. The chamber 30 of the syringe could be sized to hold 30 units and atotal volume of 1.2 ml. The hatch marks on the syringe 12 could be unitmarked at 1 or 2 unit increments and each unit increment wouldcorrespond to 0.04 ml. It is of course contemplated that syringes couldbe sized and marked according to any predetermined volume and/ordilution amount.

With reference to FIGS. 2, 4, 5 and 6 in one aspect, a syringe tip 40can be mounted and/or formed on the end wall 20 of the syringe 12 sothat the syringe tip extends longitudinally away from the body 16 of thesyringe. In this aspect, an interior void 42 can be defined in thesyringe tip, and an aperture 44 in the end wall can place the interiorvoid of the syringe tip in sealed fluid communication with the chamber30 of the body 16. The syringe tip 40 can be configured to matinglyengage and secure a needle assembly 14 to the syringe.

The syringe tip 40 can be at least a portion of an inverted cone,according to one aspect. That is, at least a portion of the syringe tipcan be substantially frusto-conical in shape. In another aspect, a firstend 46 of the syringe tip having a first diameter can be coupled to theend wall 20 of the body 16, and a second end 48 of the syringe tip 40can be positioned a predetermined distance from the end wall and havinga second diameter that is greater than the first diameter. In yetanother aspect, the interior void 42 defined in the syringe tip candefine a substantially frusto-conical void that is configured to receivea frusto-conical member 50 of a needle assembly 14 (described more fullybelow). In a further aspect, two flanges 52 can project radially awayfrom the second end 48 of the syringe tip. The flanges can be configuredto selectively engage the Luer-lock mechanism of a needle assembly, asknown in the art.

As shown optionally in FIG. 16, the syringe tip 40 can have asubstantially cylindrical outer surface shape. In this aspect, it iscontemplated that the outer surface of the syringe tip can have aconventional helical threaded surface defined thereon that cancooperatively receive a complementarily threaded base 86 of the needlehub 80, as known in the art. In yet another aspect, the interior void 42defined in the syringe tip can define a substantially frusta-conicalvoid that is con-figured to receive a frusto-conical member 50 of aneedle assembly 14 (described more fully below).

In a further aspect shown in FIGS. 16-18, the syringe can have a syringetip 40 that has a substantially cylindrical outer surface shape 41.Conventionally threading 51 can be formed on the outer surface of thesyringe tip that is adapted to be conventionally coupled to needleassemblies, IV lines, and other conventional fluid medical couplers,according to optional aspects. In this particular aspect, it iscontemplated that the interior void 42 defined in the syringe tip candefine a substantially frusto-conical void that is configured to receivea frusto-conical member 50 of a needle assembly 14 (described more fullybelow). In a further exemplary aspect, and as shown in FIGS. 17 and 18,two flanges 52 can project radially away from the second end 48 of thesyringe tip. The flanges can be configured to selectively engage theLuer-lock mechanism of a needle assembly, as known in the art.

As illustrated in FIGS. 5-8, the piston means 26 can comprise a plunger54 and a piston cap 56. In one aspect, the plunger can be formed from asubstantially cylindrical molded shaft 58. The shaft can have an outerdiameter smaller than the inner diameter 18 of the body 16 of thesyringe 12 so that the plunger 54 can move within the chamber 30 of thebody. A thumb surface 60 can be formed on a proximal end 62 of the shaftconfigured to provide a flat surface for the user of the syringe topress and move the plunger 54 (and the piston cap 56) within thechamber. In another aspect, a portion of a distal end 64 of the plungercan have an outer diameter less than the outer diameter of the shaft,forming a plunger neck 66. In this aspect, the neck can be configuredfor attachment of the piston cap 56 to the shaft. A plunger head 68 canbe positioned adjacent to the neck. In one aspect, the plunger head canbe substantially cylindrical having an outer diameter substantially thesame as the plunger shaft 58, as illustrated in FIG. 7. Alternatively,in another aspect, the plunger head 68 can be substantiallyfrusto-conical (as illustrated in FIG. 8), in which a portion of thehead has an outer diameter substantially the same as the plunger shaft58.

The piston cap 56 can be formed from a molded elastomer having aproximal end 70 and a distal end 72. In one aspect, the piston cap canhave an outer diameter substantially equal to the inner diameter of thebody 16 of the syringe 12. In a further aspect, at least a portion ofthe piston cap 56 can have an outer diameter slightly greater than theinner diameter 18 of the body of the syringe. In still another aspect,the proximal end 70 of the piston cap can have an outer diameterslightly greater than the outer diameter of the distal end 72 of thepiston cap 56. In yet another aspect, a central portion 74 of the pistoncap can have an outer diameter less than either or both the outerdiameter of the distal end and the proximal end of the piston cap 56.

According to one aspect, the distal end 72 of the piston cap 56 can beconfigured to complementary engage the end wall 20 of the body 16 of thesyringe 12. That is, the distal end of the piston cap can be sized andshaped so that when in use, the distal end 72 of the piston cap 56contacts the end wall 20, and that that when contacting each other,there are substantially no gaps or “dead spaces” formed between the endwall and the distal end of the piston cap. For example, if the end wall20 of the body 16 is substantially planar or flat, the distal end 72 ofthe piston cap 56 can be substantially planar or flat so thatsubstantially all the fluid contained in the chamber 30 is ejected fromthe chamber through the needle 78, as described more fully below.

In one aspect, an inner bore can be defined in the piston cap 56configured to matingly engage the plunger head 68 and/or the plungerneck 66 of the plunger shaft 58. That is, due to the elastic nature ofthe piston cap 56, the inner bore of the piston cap can be positioned onand “snap” to the head and/or neck of the piston shaft. For example andwith reference to FIG. 7, the piston cap 56 can snap onto the plungershaft 58 and can be secured in position by its elastic properties.

In a further optional aspect, and as shown in FIG. 6, portions of thewalls defining the distal end of the chamber 30 of the body 16 of thesyringe can be tapered distally and inwardly toward the aperture 44 inthe end wall. In this aspect, it is contemplated that the distal end ofthe piston cap of the plunger will be complementarily shaped such that,when the plunder is fully depressed distally toward the end wall, thedistal end of the piston cap of the plunger is in flush contact with theformed end wall of the chamber to reduce or eliminate any dead spacewithin the chamber of the body in this depressed position.

In use, described more fully below, the outer diameter of at least aportion of the piston cap 56 can tightly engage the inner diameter 18 ofthe body 16 of the syringe 12, forming a fluid-tight seal. Furthermore,the outer diameter of the proximal end 70 and/or the distal end 72 ofthe piston cap 56 can provide stability to the plunger 54 by preventingor restricting rotational movement between the plunger and the body. Inanother aspect, the seal formed between the piston cap and the innerdiameter of the body 16 can provide desirable injection resistance tohelp control the injection of small amounts of fluid from the syringe12.

Optionally, and as shown in FIG. 9, the syringe 12 can further comprisea protective cover 76. In one aspect, the protective cover can haveinner threads similar to conventional Luer lock threads to selectivelycouple the protective cover to the forward end 22 and/or the syringe tip40 of the syringe. When coupled to the syringe 12, the protective cover76 can protect the syringe tip 40 and maintain the sterility of thechamber 30 of the syringe itself. It is contemplated that the protectivecover can be color coded for safety depending upon, for example andwithout limitation, the amount of diluent used and the resultingconcentration of fluid to be injected.

With reference to FIGS. 10-12 and 18-22, the at least one needleassembly 14 can comprise at least one of the needle 78 itself and apolymeric needle hub 80 configured to support the needle and attach theneedle to the syringe.

In one aspect, the needle 78 can be at least one of an approximately 25G½″ length needle and a 32G ½″ length needle. For example, a needle 78for aspiration can be the 25G needle to allow for minimal waste ofmedication while still having sufficient flow characteristics so as tonot impede filling of the syringe 12. In another example, a needledesigned for injection can be a 32G needle 78 having excellent flowcharacteristics and long enough for intramuscular injections. As knownto one of skill in the art, a 32G needle does not easily bend and canremain sharp after multiple percutaneous punctures. The 32G needle canbe injected relatively pain free and can leave negligible medicationwaste in the syringe. In one aspect, and as shown in FIG. 11, a proximalend 82 of the needle can be blunt and a distal end 84 of the needle canbe beveled or blunt. It is contemplated that the needle can be colorcoded to correspond to existing needle gauge convention.

In one aspect, the needle 78 can be an elongate needle that passesthrough the needle hub 80. In another aspect, the needle hub cancomprise a substantially cylindrical hollow needle base 86 havinginternal threads 88. In this aspect, the internal threads can beconfigured to matingly engage with the flanges 52 of the syringe as in aconventional Luer-lock engagement. For example, the internal threads 88of the base 86 of the needle hub 80 can be configured so thatapproximately a 180 degree turn of the needle hub relative to the body16 of the syringe can fully engage and secure the needle 78 intoposition on the syringe 12. As can be appreciated, the Luer-lockmechanism can keep the needle-syringe assemblage 10 stable so that theneedle 78 will not dislodge during injection causing possible injury andloss of expensive medication. Furthermore, the Luer-lock mechanism ofthe needle hub 80 and the flange of the syringe can allow for rapid,multiple needle changes as desired. It is of course contemplated thatthe exterior surface of the needle hub can be conventionally configuredto allow for conventional connection to desired medical devices, forexample and not meant to be limiting, to Luer-lock fittings and thelike.

As shown in FIG. 10, in one aspect, the base 86 of the needle hub 80 cancomprise at least one outer longitudinal groove 90 configured to aid inhandling and securely fastening the needle hub to the syringe tip 40. Inanother aspect, the base can further comprise an alignment mark 92 sothat when the needle base is securedly attached to the syringe 12, thedistal end 84 of the needle 78 can be rotated to a desired position(i.e., if the distal end is beveled, the bevel is in a desiredorientation relative to the syringe) and in line with the syringemarkings when holding the syringe 12 for injection. That is, in thisaspect, the alignment mark 92 on the needle base can be in line with theneedle bevel and in “front” of the syringe after the needle hub 80 isfully engaged and rotated into position on the syringe tip.

In one aspect, the frusto-conical member 50 of the needle assembly 14can be formed and/or positioned in the substantially cylindrical hollowneedle base 86 of the needle hub 80. In another aspect, thefrusto-conical member can comprise a distal end 96 having a firstdiameter coupled to an end wall 98 of the base and a proximal end 100having a second diameter extending into the hollow cylinder 102 of thebase a predetermined distance. In this aspect, the second diameter canbe less than the first diameter. In a further aspect, the proximal end100 of the frusto-conical member 50 of the needle hub can extend beyondthe hollow cylinder of the base (as illustrated in FIGS. 10 and 11).

In one aspect, the frusto-conical member 50 of the needle hub 80 can besized and shaped to matingly engage the substantially frusto-conicalvoid 42 of the syringe tip 40. That is, the frusto-conical member of theneedle hub can be configured to slide into the frusto-conical void ofthe tip of the syringe 12. When the Luer-lock mechanism of the needlehub 80 engages the syringe, the frusto-conical member 50 of the needlehub can create a fluid-tight seal with the frusto-conical void 42 of thetip 40 of the syringe.

In one aspect, the needle hub 80 can further comprise at least twoprogressively smaller cylinders 104, 106 coupled to the needle base 86.In one aspect, these progressively diminishing cylinders can allow forbetter visualization of the puncture site and can provide axialstability for the needle 78 itself. In another aspect, a plurality offlanges 108 can be spaced from each other and positioned adjacent thesmallest cylinder. In this aspect, the flanges can also provide axialstability for the needle.

In one aspect, a central bore 110 can be defined in and extend throughthe cylinders 104, 106, the end wall 98 of the needle base 86, and thefrusto-conical member 50 of the needle base. The central bore can besized to allow a needle 78 to be positioned therein. In another aspect,the needle can be positioned in the central bore such that a proximalend 82 of the needle can be substantially aligned with the proximal end100 of the frusto-conical member of the needle base. Optionally,however, the proximal end of the needle 78 can extend beyond theproximal end 100 of the frusto-conical member 50, or the proximal end ofthe frusto-conical member can extend beyond the proximal end 82 of theneedle. In a further aspect, the distal end 84 of the elongate needlecan protrude from the needle hub 80. For example, the distal end of theneedle 78 can protrude from the needle hub less than about 0.25 inches,about 0.25 inches, about 0.30 inches, about 0.35 inches, about 0.40inches, about 0.45 inches, about 0.50 inches, about 0.55 inches, about0.60 inches, about 0.65 inches, about 0.70 inches, about 0.75 inches,about 0.80 inches, about 0.85 inches, about 0.90 inches, about 0.95inches, about 1 inch or greater than about 1 inch. In a further aspect,the needle 78 can be secured to the needle hub 80 by any of multiplemanufacturing means such as, for example and without limitation, glue,other adhesive, or the needle hub can be molded around the needle thatcan have laser etched or manufactured “stops” to prevent needle slippagethrough the needle hub 80.

In a further aspect, and referring to FIGS. 19-22, the central bore 110of the frusto-conical member 50 of the needle hub 80 can have afrusto-conical shape that expands outwardly, relative to a longitudinalaxis of the needle hub, from proximate the proximal end 100 of theneedle hub to the distal end of the needle hub. As shown, it iscontemplated that the elongate needle can be mounted therein theproximal end 100 of the needle hub to be selectively placed into fluidcommunication with the syringe. In this aspect, the central bore 110 canfurther define at least two progressively increasing taperingfrusto-conical shapes, 111, 113, relative to the longitudinal axis ofthe needle hub, which is typically aligned with the mounted needle. Inone aspect, these progressively increasing tapering frusto-conicalshapes can provide structural support for the needle 78 itself whileallowing a desired degree of needle deflection, relative to thelongitudinal axis of the needle hub for patient comfort and desiredmedicant application.

As shown in FIGS. 13-15, the needle assembly 14 can further comprise atleast one of a selectively removable needle guard 112 and a selectivelyremovable base guard 114, according to one aspect. In another aspect,the needle guard 112 can be sized and shaped to cover the needle 78 andto overlap at least a portion of the needle base 86 of the needle hub80. In a further aspect, the base guard 114 can be sized and shaped tocover the frusto-conical member 50 of the needle hub and to overlap atleast a portion of the needle base. The needle guard and the base guardcan be removably coupled to the needle assembly 14 by snapping to theneedle assembly and/or screwing to the needle assembly 14. In stillanother aspect, the needle guard 112 and the base guard 114 can be sizedand shaped to be substantially flush with each other when both guardsare installed on the needle assembly. Optionally, the needle guardand/or the base guard can be secured to each other by a twist breakablelabel 116 that can have manufacturing and expiration date informationand the like. When both the needle guard 112 and the base guard 114 areinstalled and positioned around the needle assembly (i.e., in a closedposition) the needle guard and the base guard can cooperate to maintainthe sterility of the needle 78 during packaging, shipment and storage.

To use the needle 78 and syringe 12 of the current application, the baseguard 114 can be removed from the needle hub 80 holding the desiredneedle 78. For example, if medication is to be aspirated from acontainer, a needle hub having a 25G needle can be selected. Thefrusto-conical member 50 of the needle hub can be inserted into thefrusto-conical void 42 of the syringe tip 40, and the needle hub 80 canbe rotated approximately 180 degrees so that the flanges 52 of thesyringe 12 engage the threads 88 of the needle base, thereby securingthe needle hub 80 to the syringe. That is, the needle hub and thesyringe can be oppositely rotated into and relative to one another. Theneedle hub 80 can be engaged and securely and tightly drawn into thesyringe tip 40 thus removing most or all of the dead space in theinterior void 42 of the syringe tip.

The user can then insert the tip of the needle 78 into a vial containingthe desired fluid, and withdraw the plunger 54 to suck the fluid throughthe lumen 118 of the needle and into the chamber 30 of the syringe 12.The needle 78 can be changed, if desired, by reversing the rotation ofthe needle hub 80 relative to the syringe 12 to disengage the firstneedle from the syringe, and a new needle can be attached to the syringeas before. To eject the fluid from the chamber 30, the user can depressthe plunger to urge the desired amount of fluid from the chamber of thesyringe 12, through the aperture 44 in the end wall 20 and into thelumen 118 of the needle. If the fluid is to be ejected into a patient,the distal end 84 of the needle can pierce the skin of the patient priorto depressing the plunger 54.

As can be appreciated, the body 16 of the syringe can be marked asappropriate for the dilution level of medication in the syringe 12. Ascan also be appreciated, the flat surface of the distal end 72 of thepiston cap 56 can be urged into contact with the end wall 20 of the body16 of the syringe (as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 13), thereby removingmost or all of the dead space in the chamber 30 of the syringe.Furthermore, the removal of this dead space (and removal of the deadspace between the interior void 42 of the syringe tip 40 and thefrusto-conical member 50 of the needle hub) can remove areas in whichmedication could remain during and after injection, making this needleand syringe assemblage 10 efficient for a low-waste syringe 12 withinterchangeable needles. The only waste with the syringe and needle ofthis application can be inside the lumen 118 of the needles themselves.It is also within the purview of exemplary embodiments of the presentinvention to include hollow bodies having syringe tips configured toaccept removable or fixedly attached needles or needle hub assembliesand the like.

It is also contemplated that the syringe 12 of the present invention canbe a prefilled syringe. In this aspect, the prefilled syringe 12 can bein an assembled condition, which contains a medicament or otherpreparation. In one aspect, the prefilled syringe 12 can be out ofcontact with the needle, which is typically formed from stainless steel.

In this prefilled syringe embodiment, the medicament is adapted to becontained in the chamber 30 that is defined in the hollow body 16. Inthis aspect, the rear end of the chamber of the hollow body is adaptedto be sealed or closed by means of the piston cap 56, which can have oneof a number of fittings for engagement with the plunger 54 in order toact as a piston in selectively expelling the prefilled medicant contentsof the barrel. In one example, the piston cap can be formed of aself-sealing elastomer, a conventional material such as natural orsynthetic rubber, and the like. The piston cap 56 can also have aplurality of concentric ribs that are defined on its outer surface forsealing engagement with the inner walls of the chamber 30 of the hollowbody 16. It will be appreciated that the chamber 30 having thisinitially rearwardly located piston cap 56 can be aseptically filledwith the selected medicament through the relatively wide mouth of thesyringe tip 40 following sterilization. A needle assembly can then beaseptically assembled on the syringe tip 40.

In accordance with the present invention, the forward end of the chamberof the hollow is sealed. In one aspect, the forward end of the syringetip 40 can be selectively sealed by a penetrable diaphragm, which isconfigured to effectively seal off the interior void 42 of the tip. Itis contemplated that, in operation, the penetrable diaphragm can beselectively penetrated by the proximal end of a double ended needle forpurposes of providing access to the interior void and, consequently, themedicant contents contained within the chamber 30.

Although several embodiments of the invention have been disclosed in theforegoing specification, it is understood by those skilled in the artthat many modifications and other embodiments of the invention will cometo mind to which the invention pertains, having the benefit of theteaching presented in the foregoing description and associated drawings.It is thus understood that the invention is not limited to the specificembodiments disclosed hereinabove, and that many modifications and otherembodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appendedclaims. Moreover, although specific terms are employed herein, as wellas in the claims which follow, they are used only in a generic anddescriptive sense, and not for the purposes of limiting the describedinvention, nor the claims which follow.

What is claimed is:
 1. A low waste syringe, comprising: a hollow bodyhaving an inner diameter, an inner wall and an end wall that closes thehollow body at a forward end of the hollow body, wherein the hollow bodyhas an open rear end and defines a chamber; a piston means having apiston cap for reciprocal sealing engagement with the inner wall of thehollow body to define a chamber in the hollow body that is configuredfor selectively containing a fluid; a syringe tip mounted on the endwall of the hollow body, the syringe tip having a circumferential wallthat extends along a longitudinal axis away from the hollow body of thesyringe, wherein an interior surface of the circumferential wall definesan inferior void having a substantially frusto-conical shape thatextends between a first end and a second end of the syringe tip, whereinan aperture is defined in the end wall of the hollow body to place theinterior void in sealed fluid communication with the chamber of thehollow body, wherein the first end of the syringe tip has a firstdiameter configured to be coupled to the end wall of the hollow body andthe second end of the syringe tip is positioned a predetermined distancefrom the end wall and has a second diameter that is greater than thefirst diameter, and wherein the second distal-end of the syringe tipfurther comprises at least one flange that is configured to projectradially away from the second end of the syringe tip, and a needleassembly comprising an elongate needle and a needle hub that isconfigured to selectively matingly engage to the at least one flange ofthe syringe tip, wherein the needle hub comprises a needle base and afrusta-conical member, wherein the frusta-conical member has a distalend coupled to an end wall of the needle base and a proximal end thatextends longitudinally outwardly a predetermined distance from the endwall of the needle base wherein the needle base of the needle hub has atleast one thread configured to engage the at least one flange of thesyringe tip and defines a central bore that extends through the an endwall of the needle base and the frusta-conical member, wherein theelongate needle is positioned in the central bore such that a proximalend of the needle is mounted proximate the proximal end of thefrusta-conical member, and wherein, upon engagement of the needle hub tothe syringe tip via the operative engagement of the thread tread of theneedle base and the at least one flange, the entire exterior surface ofthe frusto-conical member of the needle hub base is configured toslideably engage the entire interior surface of the syringe tip and theaperture of the hollow body such that the frusto-conical member of theneedle base fills the interior void of the syringe tip and the apertureof the hollow body to form a fluid tight seal and to minimize any deadspace in the low waste syringe.
 2. The low waste syringe of claim 1,wherein the body of the syringe has a length of less than about 7.0 cm.3. The low waste syringe of claim 1, wherein the body of the syringe hasa length of greater than about 10.0 cm.
 4. The low waste syringe ofclaim 1, wherein the body of the syringe has a length between about 7.0cm to about 10.0 cm.
 5. The low waste syringe of claim 1, wherein theouter diameter of the body of the syringe is less than about 0.25 cm. 6.The low waste syringe of claim 1, wherein the outer diameter of the bodyof the syringe is greater than about 2.0 cm.
 7. The low waste syringe ofclaim 1, wherein the outer diameter of the body of the syringe isbetween about 0.25 cm to about 2.0 cm.
 8. The low waste syringe of claim1, wherein the outer diameter of the body of the syringe issubstantially constant.
 9. The low waste syringe of claim 1, wherein theinner diameter of the body of the syringe varies the volume capacity ofthe chamber of the body.
 10. The low waste syringe of claim 1, furthercomprising a plurality of longitudinally extending hatch markspositioned on an outer wall of the body to indicate the amount of fluidcontained in the chamber.
 11. The low waste syringe of claim 10, whereinthe hatch marks indicate concentration of fluid contained in the chamberof the syringe.
 12. The low waste syringe of claim 10, wherein the hatchmarks indicate d volume of a medication per volume of a diluent.
 13. Thelow waste syringe of claim 10, wherein the hatch marks indicate relativeunits of a medication per volume of a diluent.
 14. The low waste syringeof claim 13, wherein the hatch marks indicate relative units ofneurotoxin per volume of diluent.
 15. The low waste syringe of claim 1,wherein the needle assembly comprises at least one interchangeableneedle assembly.
 16. The low waste syringe of claim 1, wherein thesyringe tip has a substantially cylindrical outer surface shape.
 17. Thelow waste syringe of claim 1, wherein the piston means furthercomprising a plunger coupled to the piston cap.
 18. The low wastesyringe of claim 17, wherein a distal end of the piston cap isconfigured to complementarily engage the end wall of the body of thesyringe.
 19. The low waste syringe of claim 18, wherein the distal endof the piston cap is sized and shaped so that, in a depressed position,in which the distal end of the piston cap contacts the end wall, thereare substantially no gaps formed between the end wall and the distal endof the piston cap.
 20. The low waste syringe of claim 1, wherein theneedle base has a cylindrical hollow shape, and wherein thefrusto-conical member is formed in the needle base of the needle hub.21. The low waste syringe of claim 20, wherein the proximal end of thefrusto-conical member of the needle hub extends longitudinally outwardlybeyond the needle base.
 22. The low waste syringe of claim 1, whereinthe central bore has a frusto-conical shape that expands outwardly,relative to a longitudinal axis of the needle assembly, from proximate aproximal end of the needle hub to the distal end of the needle hub. 23.The low waste syringe of claim 1, wherein the central bore defines atleast two progressively increasing tapering frusta-conical shapes,relative the longitudinal axis of the needle hub.
 24. The low-wastesyringe of claim 1, wherein the chamber is prefilled with a medicant.25. A low waste syringe, comprising: a hollow body having an innerdiameter, an inner wall and an end wall that closes the hollow body at aforward end of the hollow body, wherein the hollow body has an open rearend and defines a chamber; a piston means having a piston cap forreciprocal sealing engagement with the inner wall of the hollow body todefine a chamber in the hollow body that is prefilled with a fluidmedicant; a syringe tip mounted on the end wall of the hollow body, thesyringe tip having a circumferential wall that extends along alongitudinal axis away from the hollow body of the syringe, wherein aninterior surface of the circumferential wall defines an interior voidhaving a substantially frusto-conical shape that extends between a firstend and a second end of the syringe tip, wherein an aperture is definedin the end wall of the hollow body to place the interior void of thesyringe tip in sealed fluid communication with the chamber of the hollowbody, wherein the first end of the syringe tip has a first diameterconfigured to be coupled to the end wall of the hollow body and thesecond end of the syringe tip is positioned a predetermined distancefrom the end wall and has a second diameter that is greater than thefirst diameter, wherein the interior surface defined in the syringe tipdefines a substantially frusto-conical shaped void extending between therespective first and second ends of the syringe tip, and wherein thesecond end of the syringe tip further comprises a pair of flangespositioned in opposition, each flange being configured to projectradially away from the second end of the syringe tip; and a needleassembly comprising an elongate needle and a needle hub that isconfigured to selectively matingly engage to the pair of flanges of thesyringe tip, wherein the needle hub comprises a needle base and afrusto-conical member, wherein the frusto-conical member has a distalend coupled to an end wall of the needle base and a proximal end thatextends longitudinally outwardly a predetermined distance from the endwall of the needle, wherein the needle base of the needle hub has atleast one thread configured to engage the pair of flanges of the syringetip and defines a central bore that extends through the end wall of theneedle base and the frusto-conical member, wherein the elongate needleis positioned in the central bore such that a proximal end of the needleis mounted substantially aligned with the proximal end of thefrusto-conical member, and wherein, upon engagement of the needle hub tothe syringe tip via the operative engagement of the thread of the needlebase and the pair of flanges, the entire exterior surface of thefrusto-conical member of the needle hub is configured to slideablyengage the entire interior surface of the syringe tip and the apertureof the hollow body such that the frusto-conical member of the needlebase fills the interior void of the syringe tip and the aperture of thehollow body to form a fluid tight seal and to minimize any dead space inthe low waste syringe.
 26. The low waste syringe of claim 25, wherein adistal end of the piston cap is configured to complementarily engage theend wall of the body of the syringe.
 27. The low waste syringe of claim26, wherein the distal end of the piston cap is sized and shaped sothat, in a depressed position, in which the distal end of the piston capcontacts the end wall, there are substantially no gaps formed betweenthe end wall and the distal end of the piston cap.